As we head into B-Corp Month, it feels like the right moment to reflect on our own journey to becoming a certified B Corp. March marks one year since we began the assessment process and six months since we certified.
A lot has happened in that time. In this blog, we want to share an honest reflection on why we chose to commit to B Corp, what the assessment process was really like, how it shaped us as a young business, the value of the community we have joined, and some of the challenges we've faced along the way.
Why We Committed to B Corp
From our inception, TrackZero was built around the idea that business should be a force for good. The founding vision was clear that purpose and commercial success are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they should reinforce each other.
Being in the sustainability sector, there's also a natural expectation. We help organisations measure and reduce their carbon impact, so it felt inconsistent to talk about accountability, transparency and responsible business without applying similar standards to ourselves. As a result, committing to B Corp was the logical next step — holding ourselves to the same standards we encourage in others.
It is worth saying that purpose does not begin or end with certification. There are many organisations doing meaningful, values-led work without certification. But for us, it offered a clear framework and a level of scrutiny that we felt was important. It moved the conversation from intention to evidence.
As a young company, it would have been easy to focus purely on growth. Product development, customer acquisition and traction are all real priorities that matter. But, we also recognised that culture and governance are shaped in these early years. B Corp felt like a commitment to building properly and to setting expectations internally before they are demanded externally; it forced us to think about how we operate, not just what we deliver.
The Reality of the Assessment Process
Committing to becoming a B Corp was straightforward. Going through the assessment process was not. The process is detailed, thorough and, at times, demanding. It requires evidence for almost every claim, from governance structures and employee policies to community impact and environmental practices. It is not enough to say you value something; you have to prove it. In many ways, that is the strength of it.
For us, the most positive aspect was the way it forced us to formalise processes that had previously been informal (decisions and practices that lived in conversations or shared understandings). The assessment required us to document them properly through policies, procedures and responsibilities — creating structure where previously there had been flexibility.
It also acted as a comprehensive audit of the business. Not financially, but operationally and culturally. It pushed us to examine fundamentals that are easy to overlook when you are focused on growth. For example, how do we measure success beyond revenue? Are our processes properly documented, or are they simply understood by the people in the room? And, perhaps most importantly, where could we be doing better?
That stock-take was valuable. However, it would be disingenuous to pretend it was easy.
The evidence requirements are rigorous, and gathering documentation takes time. Some sections feel better suited to more mature organisations with established HR teams and governance frameworks. As a start-up, translating what we do into formal documentation required effort, and there were moments where it felt administrative rather than strategic.
In that sense, it is uncomfortable by design. If it were simple, it would not carry the same credibility. Looking back, the assessment did not fundamentally change who we are. What it did was sharpen us. It formalised our intentions, highlighted gaps and gave us a clearer baseline from which to improve.
The Community Side
One of the most rewarding parts of the journey has been the community that surrounds it.
Since certifying, we have engaged with local networks including Northants B Corps, Leicester B Corps and Beyond The Block events. Each group has its own character, but the shared thread is clear: businesses trying to operate with higher standards.
A particularly memorable experience was working alongside Northants B Corps to engage with Stuart Andrew. As part of the Government Affairs and Collective Action element of B Corp, we participated in discussions on how policy can better support responsible business. It was a reminder that impact does not stop at company walls. Collective voice matters, especially when SMEs come together around shared principles.
As part of the Beyond The Block events run by Waggle Design, we visited the Medik8 factory and offices, gaining a practical view of how a product-led business embeds sustainability into operations at scale. Seeing manufacturing processes up close made responsible growth feel tangible. Spending time at Rothamsted Research, including exploring the soil archives, was another standout moment. Standing in a space that holds over a century of soil samples reframes the sustainability conversation entirely.
Another highlight was celebrating ten years of the B Corp movement locally with over 75 Oxford and Northants B Corps at the picturesque Daylesford Organic. What stood out most was not the setting, although it was undeniably beautiful, but the sense of collective momentum in the room. It reinforced that impact is rarely achieved in isolation. It is strengthened through shared standards, shared learning and shared ambition.
Across all of these experiences, what stands out most is the openness. The conversations are less about signalling and more about substance. What has worked. What has not. For a growing business, that matters. Certification may be a milestone, but community is what keeps it alive.
The Tensions
The assessment process is time-consuming. Gathering evidence, documenting policies and responding to follow-up questions requires focus and resource. For a growing business, that time has an opportunity cost. Hours spent formalising documentation are hours not spent on product development, customer success or growth. There is also a financial commitment. Certification carries a cost, and for smaller companies that decision has to be weighed carefully.
There is a wider tension too. B Corp is not the only way to operate with purpose, and many responsible businesses choose different routes. Certification alone does not guarantee impact. The real substance lies in how principles are lived day to day.
A Final Reflection
Looking back, the journey has been worthwhile. Becoming a B Corp has not fundamentally changed who we are; it has given structure to our values and raised the bar for how we operate. It gave us space to reflect, to formalise, and to question ourselves. It connected us to a wider ecosystem of businesses asking similar questions. It exposed areas where we need to improve.
As we enter B Corp Month, that feels like the right perspective to hold. Certification is not the end of the work. It is a framework we have chosen to operate within, and a standard we now need to continue meeting as we grow.
